This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Expert Group to draw up sexual health strategy
06/08/2002
An Expert Group to draw up a strategy for improving sexual health in Scotland was announced today.
The strategy will be built on a survey of existing sexual health services in Scotland, and an analysis of the attitudes and lifestyles found in a sample survey of Scots.
The remit of the Expert Group will be:
- To reduce unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections
- To enhance the provision of sexual health services
- To promote a broad understanding of sexual health and sexual relationships that encompasses emotions, attitudes and social context.
Membership of the Expert Group is:
Professor Phil Hanlon, Public Health Institute of Scotland (Chair)
Dr Candace Currie, University of Edinburgh
Dr Danny Wight, Medical Research Council
Dr Rak Nandwani, Sandyford Initiative
Dr David Goldberg, Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health
Mr Roy Kilpatrick, Scottish HIV/AIDS Forum
Mr Margaret McKay, Children First
Mrs Elizabeth May, Tynecastle High School
Mr Hugh Purves, Community Pharmacist
Ms Lora Greene, Family Planning and Well Woman Services
Mrs Romy Langeland, Aberlour Child Care Trust
Fr Joe Chambers, RC Church
Ms Evelyn Gillan, RCN Scotland
Ms Lindsay MacHardy, Health Education Board for Scotland
Ms Hawys Kilday, Caledonia Youth
Ms Susan Stewart, FPA Scotland
Dr Eleanor Guthrie, General Practitioner
Dr Catherine Thomson, General Practitioner
Mrs Lorraine Mann, Highland NHS Board
Dr Gordon Scott, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
Dona Milne, Lothian NHS Board
Announcing the membership, Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm said:
"Scotland still has a disappointingly high level of unwanted teenage pregnancies - one of the worst in Europe. We are also seeing further rises in sexually transmitted infections. These are health problems than can cause lasting difficulties but which can be reduced by better availability
of services and a broad understanding of the issues involved.
"There is already a great deal of information and research on these subjects. What we need to do now is translate that into a set of proposals for action.
"That is why I have commissioned this group of experts to draw up a national strategy for improving sexual health in Scotland. I am pleased that we have managed to get such a wide-ranging group of people with expertise in this area.
"They will work from the results of the available research commissioned by the Executive and others to produce the strategy. This will be a major and time-consuming piece of work, but I have asked them to let me have a strategy on which we can consult by next summer.
"Then, on the basis of an agreed and co-ordinated plan, we should be able to make real progress towards improving the sexual health of the people of Scotland."